Breathing and posture they are more connected than you think and, if not properly ‘guided’, they can sometimes influence each other in a negative way. And often without our knowledge. We can therefore say that to some extent we have forgotten how to breathe. It is not an exaggeration: the most natural act that our body must perform has often become superficial and incorrect. Not only that, we assume incorrect postures and frequently live according to rhythms and lifestyles that create stress and anxiety.
We are not always aware of it, often certain behaviors are internalized to the point of becoming spontaneous and the duty is paid over time: our body accumulates stress and sooner or later asks us for the bill in terms of pain and discomfort. So how do you notice if you take incorrect attitudes? A good idea may be to contact theOsteopatha figure who was born above all to do prevention and who can guide us in a path of awareness and correction of incorrect postures and breathing.
Let’s talk about preventive osteopathy with Doctor Stefano Tedesco, Doctor in Sciences of motor and sports activities and osteopath.
Dr. Tedesco, can you explain to us, in the meantime, what is Osteopathy?
“Osteopathy is a discipline that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of movement dysfunctions of the body, it aims to maintain the balance of the subject using different manual techniques. Each technique is different and personalized on the basis of the patient’s needs and pathologies. Osteopathic manipulation is neither painful nor invasive, it intervenes on the muscular, visceral, cranial and neurological bone structure. Osteopathy is therefore a holistic and integrated therapy as it deals with restoring and maintaining the optimal state of psychophysical well-being with a 360° approach, taking into account the person as a whole. Basically it is a “tool” that can improve physical performance and the general well-being of the person, sometimes implementing a small revolution in the quality of life and health. It is a practice that starts from the study of the patient and not of the pathology, researching the causes that can lead to alterations of the body and, consequently, to pain. From this point of view we can say that the basis of Osteopathy is precisely prevention: we deal with alterations and dysfunctions before they become symptomatic”.
How can the Osteopath help us?
“Osteopathic prevention proves to be very useful for correcting bad habits and wrong behaviors that we now assume on a daily basis, without even realizing it. We breathe incorrectly, we stand hunched over in front of the PC, we move little and maybe when we do we don’t know how to listen to our body. We need a real re-education. An osteopathic evaluation is able to identify postural alterations and then correct them before they become a source of pain. It is also possible to “teach” what correct breathing is”.
Doctor Tedesco, therefore, for which annoyances can Osteopathic treatment be effective?
“Among the first things that will come to mind, after having understood the potential of this discipline, there is certainly the resolution of muscle tension. Generating immediate relief by relaxing the neck and shoulder muscles brings benefits for all those discomforts related to the “cervical”, such as muscle tension headaches. The reduction of joint inflammation thanks to a dynamic re-establishment of movement between the vertebrae and a stabilization of the column is able to prevent headaches by eliminating the triggering causes. But Osteopathy is not limited to this type of annoyance: it can prove to be very useful in the prevention and treatment of stomach and intestinal disorders, which can also have psychosomatic origins. Thanks to the techniques of visceral manipulation it is possible to reduce the abnormal tensions of the abdominal muscles and therefore promote a good state of well-being”.
Do we really not know how to breathe anymore, doctor?
“It might seem like an exaggeration, but it can really be said that many people have lost the ability to breathe properly, especially with regards to respiratory rate and volume, in fact we tend to have shallow and too rapid breathing. Regaining a full respiratory dynamic, using the diaphragm correctly, helps us solve some big and small annoyances: osteopathic prevention on the areas involved in breathing allows you to prevent problems with the spine, collarbones, ribs, ligaments and muscle chains. This in turn will affect the heart rate and respiratory rate while also improving sleep and hormone production.
Osteopathy aims to recreate the best conditions so that our body can restore postural balance and correct breathing, saving our body from future discomfort. Deciding to dedicate yourself an osteopathic evaluation could open your eyes to some bad habits you don’t realize, and give impetus to a new phase of personal wellbeing.